Graham Hopkins

Graham Hopkins (born december 20 1975) is a renowned Irish drummer. He is the former drummer for the hard rock/punk rock band Therapy? [cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=18757|title=SFGate: Daily Dish : O'Riordan's Drummer 'Collapses on Stage'|publisher=www.sfgate.com|accessdate=2008-01-22|last=|first=] and rock band Boss Volenti. [cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4784594.html|title="Graham Hopkins leaves Boss Volenti…"|date=2008-09-05|accessdate=2008-09-05|publisher="Hot Press"] Hopkins plays Zildjian cymbals, Aquarian drumheads, uses Vic Firth sticks and Drum Workshop drums, hardware and pedals.

Biography

Early years

Hopkins was born in Dublin and was brought up in Clane, County Kildare in a musical family (his father, Des being a drummer). He was surrounded by music from an early age and began playing the drums at approximately four or five years old. In 1993, he left school to join My Little Funhouse, a band from County Kilkenny. After signing a recording deal with Geffen Records, the band toured their debut album "Standunder" for about a year, mainly in the United States. Tours included support to Guns N' Roses and The Ramones amongst others. The band then lived in Los Angeles and recorded a second album for Geffen before imploding.

Notable appearances

Therapy?

Hopkins moved on, joining the popular Northern Irish band Therapy? in 1996, recording three albums and releasing a "best of" album.

Gemma Hayes

Feeling uninspired by the musical direction of Therapy?, Graham left the band in January 2002 and was immediately asked to tour with Irish singer/songwriter Gemma Hayes. He toured with Gemma Hayes for over a year - supporting her Mercury Music Prize-nominated album "Night on My Side".

Halite

Hopkins went on to record two albums with his own band Halite. Halite played numerous shows over the following two years, including opening Slane Concert in 2003 for Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters.

Boss Volenti

Hopkins was a member of Dublin band Boss Volenti. He drummed on their self-titled debut album released in 2006 but left the band immediately after their appearance at Electric Picnic 2008.

"The Cake Sale"

Hopkins appeared as part of the band on the 2006 Oxfam charity album, "The Cake Sale".

Snow Patrol and Dolores O'Riordan

Hopkins spent the early part of 2007 stepping in as drummer for Snow Patrol on their European, Australian and New Zealand tours. He drummed on Dolores O'Riordan's debut solo album, "Are You Listening?" in 2007 before embarking on a worldwide tour with her.

"Once"

Hopkins also played on the soundtrack to the Irish Oscar-winning musical film "Once" which was written and directed by John Carney. He drummed on a few of the songs with Glen Hansard of The Frames and Markéta Irglová. He is currently on tour with The Swell Season, which features Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová and members of The Frames.

Others

Recently, Graham has been kept busy drumming on numerous albums, both Irish and internationally. He has played drums on albums, and live, with The Frames, David Kitt, Mundy, The Reindeer Section, Alphastates, Autamata, Ann Scott, Josh Ritter, Jape, Q, The Pale, Pugwash, Miriam Ingram, Paula Toledo, Ferghal McKee (The Whipping Boy) amongst others.

SHORT SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY:

THERAPY?
*Semi-Detached 1998
*Suicide Pact-You First 1999
*Shameless 2001

THE FRAMES
*Dance the Devil 1999
*Burn the Maps 2004
*The Cost 2006

DAVID KITT
*Square 1 2003
*Not Fade Away 2006

DOLORES O'RIORDAN
*Are You Listening? 2007

JAPE
*The Monkeys in the Zoo Have More Fun Than Me 2005

MIRIAM INGRAM
*Trampoline 2006

BOSS VOLENTI
*Boss Volenti 2006

ANN SCOTT
*We're Smiling 2006

THE CAKE SALE
*The Cake Sale 2006

ONCE
*Once, soundtrack to the film 2007

References